Love, I know that this is true
by littlepiecesofme
Summary: You don't need to wonder if love will make us stronger; there's nothing love can't do.


_A long one-shot. Inspired by a prompt on tumblr from thezenparadox...thanks for the idea, lady! It clearly provided a lot of inspiration :)_

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* * *

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 _Love, they say there's only one,  
Love, the kind that's not undone,  
Love, know you are the one._

 _("Love they say", Tegan & Sara)_

 _._

 _._

"Long time no see, stranger."

Callie was sitting at the bar in the Hyatt Chicago Hotel, sipping on a glass of red wine, when she heard a familiar voice behind her – a voice that almost unconsciously made her heart rate speed up, and her fingers freeze where they were circling the stem of her wine glass. Its owner walked behind her and slipped quietly into the empty seat to her left, and glancing up in surprise, Callie came face to face with the blue eyes of her ex-wife. She was somewhat stunned by the other woman's sudden appearance, but Arizona's face betrayed nothing but a smile - a genuinely friendly look on her face as she motioned to the bartender and ordered a glass of white for herself.

"Gee, don't look so happy to see me."

She leaned in and nudged her shoulder against Callie, and the light contact was enough to bring the brunette back from her initial shock, her eyes blinking quickly as she returned the smile, an almost nervous laugh catching in the back of her throat.

"I am! It's just...a surprise is all. I didn't know I'd be seeing you here."

"Likewise - but I mean, we haven't talked in awhile. Why _are_ you here, anyway? - I gotta ask. It's a pediatric medicine conference."

The female bartender set a glass of wine down in front of Arizona, and the blonde smiled in thanks, picking it up as she glanced sideways again at her ex, eyebrow raised slightly in question. She'd been genuinely surprised - pleasantly surprised, if she was honest - when she caught a glimpse of the other woman earlier in the day at registration, and although she wouldn't admit to having specifically sought her out after dinner, she'd been hoping they'd get to talk.

"I've...been doing some work in peds, actually, the last little while. Pediatric orthopedics, that is - research, really, more than anything - but there's some promising work being done with growth plates and bone grafting in child amputees, and there's a great project being presented by-"

"Dr. Vanessa DesBrisey. Yeah, I've followed some of her recent work – she had that big article published last month. It's super interesting stuff."

"It really is. So, yeah...work's been a little slow, so I figured I'd take the time to come out here. Hopefully I can speak with her at some point."

Callie took another long drink of her wine, letting the liquid linger on her tongue a moment before she swallowed slowly and set it back down. Her eyes focused on the glass in front of her, finger now aimlessly circling the rim of the delicate glass, and she couldn't help the feeling of trepidation that fluttered up through her stomach.

It had been nearly six months since she'd seen Arizona in person.

They'd talked over the course of the last half year, of course – about their daughter, and eventually a bit about themselves and work and friends - and she'd had the occasional glimpse and wave of hello from the blonde when she was FaceTiming with Sofia. Their relationship had simmered down from the slightly bitter note they'd left it on in Seattle and they'd become...amicable, if nothing else. Almost friendly, really. But it had been a long time since she'd seen her ex-wife in person, and Callie found that the other woman's presence was leaving her a little unsure of where she stood.

"I'm sure you won't be the only one wanting to, but I'm sure you can get some time with her. You _are_ one of the foremost orthopedic surgeons in the country – she'd probably appreciate your interest."

Arizona sipped at her wine too, tucking her hair behind her ear as she spoke. It was shorter now, Callie couldn't help but remark – falling in gentle waves just past her shoulders. She looked good – _great_ – dressed in slim black jeans with a simple white collared shirt, an open grey blazer over it with sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She looked happy.

"Ortho with kids can be such a different beast, though," she tore her eyes away, signaling for a refill of wine, "I mean, it's a specialty all on its own."

"Yeah, but you could definitely adapt the work you've been doing over the last few years."

"Maybe. It's definitely interesting the more I research it."

Her wine glass refilled, Callie picked it up before glancing over toward Arizona again, a more genuine, content smile tugging at her lips this time. Somehow, even after all this time, it was always easy to talk to the other woman.

"It really is good to see you, Arizona."

"How's Sofia?"

Their eye contact lingered for only a second before Arizona changed the subject, tossing her hair back with a slight grin as she thought of their little girl.

"I hope she's not terrorizing Penny too much while you're away."

"She's good – she's, ah...actually staying with my dad for the next few days. He came into town for a surprise visit, but since I already had the conference booked he's treating Sof to a fancy hotel stay and all kinds of fun things."

The truth was, Callie had asked her dad if he could come to New York and stay with Sofia at their apartment for a few days – because she and Penny had broken up nearly two months ago and hadn't spoken since. She hadn't told Arizona yet – reasoning that it really wasn't her business, and she would probably only be upset given that Callie uprooted them all for a relationship that didn't last – but she could tell by the look that flashed quickly across blue eyes that the other woman already knew. Of course she knew.

"That sounds nice. I bet they're having a blast."

Callie simply nodded with a smile, taking another long drink as the other woman did the same.

"So how's...Eliza? You seem really happy, I take it things are still going well with you two?"

The blonde just laughed softly, leaning back in her seat enough to cross her legs at the knee.

"She's great, I think. I haven't really spoken to her in awhile."

Downing the last sip of her wine just as the bartender passed by, Arizona motioned for a new glass as well, turning to more fully face the woman beside her, her right elbow resting casually on the bar. She knew that Callie knew - either from Sofia or from one of their friends at home, and so what was the point of hiding it?

"It was short-lived," she shrugged a little, "there was nothing...it just didn't turn into much, in the end."

It wasn't entirely the truth, because there _had_ been something between her and Eliza – there'd been a small spark, a glimmer of a feeling that Arizona could tell held the potential to turn into more – but in the end, she'd simply known that her heart wasn't in it all the way. After two months of dating, she'd known that her heart still lived in New York City, and Arizona had simply let go of the notion that she could change that anytime soon. And coupled with the fact that Sofia had met the brunette a few times and hadn't liked her, Arizona knew there was no future between them - whether she wanted it or not.

"...Meredith told me, I admit. I'm sorry it didn't work out."

Arizona just watched her ex for a moment, her eyes lingering on the silky dark hair that fell over her shoulders, and the perfect shade of pink that adorned her lips as she brought the wine glass up to meet them. She'd known all along that her feelings for Callie hadn't gone away, but seeing her in person – seeing her right here – was causing a reaction in her gut that Arizona hadn't at all anticipated.

"Sofia told me about Penny. I'm sorry too."

Her voice was soft when she replied, and when Callie glanced quickly up to meet her eyes, she could see that the sentiment was genuine – that Arizona cared. And that was the sad joke of it all, wasn't it? Arizona had always cared - had just wanted her to be happy.

"Cheers to us," Callie just smiled, shaking her head with a soft laugh as she lifted her glass to meet the blonde's, "relationships really aren't our strong suit, are they?"

Arizona tipped the rim of their glasses together and a laugh bubbled up from her chest, the familiar sound of it making Callie's smile grow even wider. They each took a drink, and the blonde casually tipped her head in acknowledgement.

"Hey now, we made it five years together. And you don't even hate me anymore."

The comment was so casually thrown in that Callie almost missed it, and Arizona only smiled beside her, their eyes meeting briefly before the blonde looked into her wine again and took a drink.

"I never hated you."

Something changed in Callie's eyes, and Arizona could see it when she let her gaze meet the other woman's again. Dark eyes remained on hers, and she just tilted her head slightly, her voice soft and almost pained in the background noise of the hotel bar.

"Did you really think I _hated_ you?"

The emotions swelling in Arizona's chest made her take pause, and she tore her eyes away, shrugging softly.

"It felt like it sometimes."

The bartender came by and inquired about Callie's empty glass, and she blinked away, the moment gone, nodding for yet another refill. The wine was slightly starting to get to her head - but she didn't know how else to deal with what was in front of her right now, how to deal with _Arizona_.

"Well I didn't," she replied quietly, turning to face her and reaching up to straighten the tiny circular pendant that hung from Arizona's neck, "not for a minute, Arizona."

The touch sent almost tangible sparks through each woman - as innocent as it was - and Callie retreated almost instantly, almost as if she was pulling away from fire. Arizona simply held her breath for a moment, letting it out slowly as her eyes blinked away, and she turned back in her seat, facing the wall of bottles behind the bar again - unable, or unwilling, to look Callie in the eye.

"So this is a pretty nice hotel, huh? I was impressed when my cab pulled up this morning."

Noting the change of tone - and subject - again, Callie just rolled with it, accepting her new glass of wine with a non-committal hum of approval.

"I mean, nice enough for a Hyatt."

At that, Arizona couldn't help but laugh again, and all Callie could think about was how she could cause that sound again and again. She'd missed that sound, more than she realized. More than she ever thought she would.

"Right, right - I forgot, this _isn't_ one of the ones you own. Does that mean you're staying in a regular room like some kind of normal person?"

She glanced sideways with a teasing grin then, and Callie narrowed her eyes, tossing her hair back over her shoulder.

"Be quiet. I seem to remember you enjoying the perks."

"I did," the blonde laughed softly again, picking up her glass, "being a Torres was great. Remember when we had the presidential suite in Maui? Bigger than we even knew what to do with."

"That was probably my favourite trip with you - nothing but laying on the beach and sipping pretty pink drinks for a week. Of course I remember."

"I remember almost getting caught with my hand down your bikini bottoms by that waiter."

Callie laughed loudly, almost choking on the sip of wine she'd just taken.

"Yeah - that waiter who knew my dad _personally_. That was a good moment."

"At least I didn't open the door to our hotel suite buck naked."

"I thought it was you!"

"Why would I knock on the door to our own suite?!"

"To be sexy. I don't know."

Callie groaned slightly, taking a drink and rolling her eyes affectionately at her ex.

"We were young."

"I think you were thirty-three."

"We were young _er."_

Arizona smiled, shifting her arm on the bar top and unconsciously brushing against Callie's elbow. She could sense that there was something in the air between them - something stirring, changing in the way she felt about the other woman in this moment. Arizona had long ago given up the anger she felt toward Callie, and the resentment over the divorce and the custody battle and everything else they'd been through. When she'd made the choice to send Callie away - given her blessing for a new life in New York with their daughter - she'd realized that the only thing she wanted to hold onto was the love they'd once shared. She didn't want them to fight, and she didn't want them to spend the rest of their lives ignoring and avoiding each other - both for Sofia's sake, and for their own. She'd quickly come to realize that what they'd had all those years ago was worth respecting, and worth cherishing, even if it only existed in memories.

The problem was, faced with seeing Callie again after all these months, Arizona found herself almost wishing again for more than memories. She hadn't felt the pull for a long time; not like this, not with the sudden ferociousness the other woman's proximity seemed to bring.

"It seems like so long ago, doesn't it."

A beat of silence passed before the brunette replied.

"We've known each other for almost ten years. I was thinking about that the other day."

Realizing what she had just said, Callie lifted her glass and drained the remaining mouthful as Arizona looked over, surprised.

"You were?"

"I..." Callie hesitated briefly, shooting her a small smile, "yeah, I mean, I was just thinking about it. Sofia's going to be seven soon – _seven_ , can you believe that? And we met just over two years before."

"It's hard to believe. I'll never forget that night, though."

Arizona's smile was almost wistful as she met Callie's gaze, her hands absently playing with the empty glass in front of her. She was definitely feeling the effect of the wine kick in, and although she wanted to order another glass – she was starting to think that maybe that wouldn't be the best idea. She was feeling things she knew she shouldn't be feeling – things she'd tucked away, forgotten, moved past because it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. And that thought – that inner warning, that instinct to flee - was only reinforced as Callie's eyes held hers, her smile growing wider at the memory of the night they met.

The brunette's memory of that night was unforgettable too, and she could feel her heart beat almost painfully in her chest as she pictured it – her entire body filling with a wave of emotion that she hadn't felt in _years._ And just like that, as she watched the blue eyes sparkling in front of her, Callie knew that the love was not lost between them. She could _feel_ it. She knew that no matter how things had changed, and despite the fact that she'd loved another...the love she felt for Arizona was still there. It was still there and suddenly it felt within reach. And she wanted to reach for it.

"I think you'll know."

The words were falling from her lips before she realized, softly escaping her as she let her hand move across the bar top, let it curl gently around the other woman's wrist.

"What?"

Arizona's reply came out as a question even though she knew very well what Callie was referring to, and she glanced down at the feeling of the hand on her arm, the sudden intrusion, the sudden electric feeling that ran down her spine yet again.

"That was what you said. That night, at Joe's. "

And Callie knew that Arizona remembered too, that she was being cautious, nonchalant – but the warmth of the wine was flowing through her now, and for the first time in awhile, she was truly feeling brave.

"Right before you kissed me."

She leaned in, moving slowly, and her other hand moved of its own volition to land on Arizona's cheek. She was hesitant, but fueled by an almost innate desire as she brought herself in to kiss the blonde...at the same time the other woman pulled away.

"Callie—"

Arizona's voice was barely a whisper, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment as her hand wrapped around Callie's wrist, effectively holding her back.

"Don't do this."

Their eyes met, and the two women simply looked at one another, only silent breaths passing between them. Callie's thumb brushed ever so slightly against the skin of Arizona's jaw, the touch tender and affectionate, and Arizona let out a sigh, shaking her head as she pulled further away. She turned back to look at the bar, quiet for a moment, and her voice was still soft when she spoke again.

"The lectures start early tomorrow. We should probably call it a night."

To anyone else, the message would have been loud and clear - the blonde was simply not interested in whatever the brunette was trying to offer. But to Callie, it was like a punch to the gut.

"I guess we should."

She drained the last of her wine, setting the glass down carefully with a tight smile at the passing bartender, and she grabbed her wallet off the bar, laying down enough cash to cover both of their drinks before sliding down from her seat.

"At least let me walk you to the elevator?"

Arizona stood up and followed as Callie led them out of the expansive hotel lounge, and they fell into step beside each other as they crossed the lobby, a silence stretching out between them.

"Are you going to stay in New York?"

The question had been in the back of the blonde's mind ever since Sofia had mentioned Penny's disappearance months ago, but now that Callie herself had finally admitted the truth about their relationship, she couldn't help but voice it - wondering if they'd be keeping up this bi-coastal parenting routine even though there was no longer a good reason.

"I don't know," Callie replied immediately, but then shook her head as if changing her mind, "actually, no. I have another three months on my contract but we'll move back after that. I don't want to keep Sofia from you any longer."

"If you're happy there, then stay, Callie. We've figured it out so far."

"If I move back, we can all be happy."

It had taken Callie a few months after her move to realize what a sacrifice Arizona had made - what a sacrifice she'd _asked_ her to make - and seeing the other woman faithfully make the journey across the country every four weeks ever since had changed her perspective in more ways than one. She was happy in New York, as happy as she'd be anywhere right now, but without Penny keeping her there she had no good reason to stay, and she had every reason to go home.

The elevator opened in front of them and both women stepped inside, their arms brushing for a second before Arizona shifted away.

"What floor are you on?"

"Twenty-one."

Arizona hit the buttons for nineteen and twenty-one, and as the doors slid shut she glanced upwards at the glowing numbers above them, brushing hair back from her eyes. They traveled upwards slowly, the elegance of the hotel even surrounding them in the mirrored, gently lit elevator, and Callie found herself unable to look away from the woman beside her. She knew what she wanted - what she'd always wanted, even though she'd desperately tried to run from it. She wanted Arizona. And she just needed a sign - she needed _something_ to tell her that the blonde still felt it too.

"You need to stop looking at me."

Her voice was quiet, but sure, and she didn't look over at the brunette as she spoke. Arizona could feel her ex-wife's eyes on her, and she needed it to stop. She needed the feeling in her pit of her stomach to stop before they did something that they would both probably regret.

Callie didn't speak, letting out a soft sigh instead, but she couldn't help herself as she glanced sideways again a moment later, her gaze lingering on the blonde.

"Calliope-"

And there it was. It had been more than a year since she'd heard her name spoken that way, the soft, breathy way it tumbled from the blonde's lips as full of love and reverence as it had always been. Arizona had always been the only person who could say her name that way, who could make it sound like the most beautiful music in the world. And right now, it was all Callie needed.

Without a further thought she turned to Arizona and before either of them knew what was happening, Callie's hands were on her face and in her hair, and she was kissing her with what felt like _years_ of built up want and need and desire. She was kissing her like she might never get to kiss her again - never get to feel her again - and there was nothing in the world that she wanted more at this very moment.

It took Arizona only a moment to react - to feel the familiar lips on hers and the warmth of the hands desperately holding her close - and it took only a fraction of a moment longer before her own hands were clutching at Callie and she was kissing her too, opening herself to the other woman. Callie backed her against the wall behind them, a hand sliding to the back of her head protectively, but they never lost contact, their kisses deepening immediately to feed the sparks flying between them - to fuel the fire growing in both of their bodies. It was instinctual, raw, almost primal - their need for each other inarguable, even after all this time.

The elevator came to a gentle stop, the ding of the bell pulling both women from their embrace as the doors slid open to the nineteenth floor of the hotel.

"Arizona..."

Callie's eyes found the blue ones in front of her, her voice low and breathy as her hand slid along the soft skin of Arizona's neck, and Arizona simply let out a sigh - the emotion evident in her eyes. She reached up silently to grasp that hand as she moved to exit, and she pulled the brunette along with her as they made their way down to her room. They were barely inside, the door still closing behind them, when the blonde's hands found their way to Callie's waist and her lips captured the ones in front of her in another heated exchange. There was no resisting this anymore - no pulling away, no attempting to listen to better judgement. Arizona had been longing for Callie more than she'd admitted even to herself, her very soul craving the touch that was now being offered up, and knowing that Callie wanted this too - even a little - was enough for her carefully built walls to crumble to the ground.

Barely a word was exchanged as the two women stumbled across the hotel room, clothes being shed, hands roaming at will, breathless kisses keeping them together. Callie was the first to find the edge of the unmade bed, and she grasped the blonde, turning her and pushing her down to the mattress with a darkening look in her eyes. Arizona complied easily, shifting herself up to the pillows, and Callie was immediately above her, her lips blazing a trail of kisses from her mouth down along the heated skin of her neck. The scent of Arizona was overwhelming - the taste of her at once so familiar and so new - and the brunette simply couldn't slow down, couldn't slow her racing heart or her roaming hands. She reached beneath the smaller body and her fingers found the clasp of a bra, pulling the fabric away as her lips trailed down over a delicate collarbone, over a perfect chest, over the light freckles that she'd mapped a million times before.

"Tell me that you want me."

The words escaped Arizona in a breathless whisper, her fingers sliding through dark hair, her back arching slightly to meet the other woman's lips. It was neither a demand nor a question, but rather something in between - and although Callie's intents were perfectly clear in the moment, the blonde woman simply needed to hear it.

Callie lifted her head at the sound of the other woman's voice, pressing a soft kiss to the hollow of her throat, and she leaned herself up on her hands until her eyes met the ones below her. She held Arizona's gaze for a moment, her beauty leaving her absolutely breathless, and without a single, solitary doubt in her mind - she replied.

"I only want you."

Arizona smiled, leaning up to capture the soft lips in front of her, and as she tugged Callie closer, she knew that this was all she wanted too.

"Then show me."

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* * *

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"What are we going to do?"

It was nearing two o'clock in the morning by the time they found themselves laying side by side, their desire finally satiated as they simply watched one another from across the bed, with the lights of downtown Chicago reflecting in through the window behind them. Callie reached out, her fingers gently smoothing a strand of blonde hair back from Arizona's face, and she lingered slightly, trailing down over the warm, soft line of her jaw.

"I want us to be together again," the blonde's reply was immediate, her voice soft in the dimness of the room but completely unwavering - and her eyes found Callie's across the small space between them, "we belong together, Calliope."

"Do you really think that? Still?"

Arizona's lashes fluttered shut for a brief moment, her eyes - when they opened again - the most brilliant, intense shade of blue.

"I always have."

"We're different people now."

It wasn't that Callie was unsure - because if she was honest with herself, this was the most sure she'd felt about anything, possibly in the entirety of her life - but she wanted Arizona to be sure too. She wanted them to go into this without any doubts, and without any hesitations about where their future might lead - because _she_ knew, laying here and gazing at the woman across from her, that this was it for her. There would never be anyone else again except Arizona.

"We are...but I never stopped loving you, Callie. That's the one thing that hasn't changed."

Her reply was voiced softly and her hand smoothed up the length of Callie's forearm where it rested on the sheets between them, following further up her arm, across her bared shoulder, and gently tracing along the perfect curve of her neck. She let her thumb trail along Callie's jaw and her fingers slipped higher, burrowing themselves around the back of her neck into dark, silky hair. All night she'd found herself unable to resist touching the other woman, and she felt grounded, easily content in a way she hadn't in a long time. It was _this_ part of being married to Callie that she'd truly missed the most - the quiet, peaceful moments when nothing else mattered except the fact that they were together. This Callie was her favourite Callie, and there was no question in her heart that she felt anything other than genuine, unwavering love.

The brunette swallowed the lump in her throat, her emotions swelling at the gentle, affectionate touch of the other woman, and with her eyes almost brimming with tears she murmured in response.

"I thought I could. But I never stopped loving you either."

Arizona closed the space between them, her hand cupping Callie's cheek as she kissed her, and after resting their foreheads together for a lingering moment she turned in the bed and curled up against her. Callie's arm immediately wrapped around her waist and she tucked herself in close, fitting the two of them together like a puzzle, and as she nosed soft blonde hair aside to kiss Arizona's shoulder she felt the beginning of something new and beautiful. The beginning of _them_.

"I still have to go back to New York..."

She sighed softly, the regret and longing evident in her voice as she tightened her hold on their embrace.

"I know."

"But I just want to be with you."

The smaller woman couldn't help but smile, and she turned her head to look back at the brunette cuddled up behind her.

"Well...we have four more days here together. And, I do happen to have a ticket to New York booked two weeks from now."

The brunette had almost forgotten that fact - that Arizona's weekend with Sofia was coming soon - and her eyes immediately lit up with joy, a smile crossing her face as she thought of all the new possibilities laid out in front of them. Not only could she and Arizona be together again, but they could be a _family_ again. Like they were always meant to be.

"You'll stay with us, right? Cancel your hotel reservation."

Arizona simply laughed, lightly kissing Callie's chin before settling back down in her arms.

"Yeah, I think I'll stay with you from now on."

"Will you stay forever?"

Callie nuzzled the bare shoulder in front of her, placing the softest of kisses up along the line of Arizona's neck, and Arizona let out a perfectly content sigh, her fingers finding the other woman's hand where it rested around the middle of her body. She laced their fingers together, drawing them up between her breasts to press a kiss to the back of Callie's hand, and as she voiced her reply she felt with certainty that this time - nothing would stand in their way. This time, love would be enough. It would be _everything_.

"I'll stay forever."

.

.


End file.
